Websites using Asciinema

Okay, let s break down Asciinema, covering its overview, revenue, alternatives, pricing, and customer care.

Asciinema Overview

Asciinema (asciinema.org) is a free and open-source solution for recording and sharing terminal sessions in a purely text-based format. It s essentially a terminal recorder that captures keystrokes, output, and timing information, and then renders it as a playable recording. It s used by developers, system administrators, educators, and anyone who wants to demonstrate or share command-line interactions.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Text-Based Recording: The core principle is capturing terminal data as plain text, not as video pixels. This makes recordings lightweight and easily embeddable.
• Web-Based Player: Recordings are typically hosted on asciinema.org or a self-hosted player and played back in a web browser.
• Embeddable: Asciinema recordings can be easily embedded in websites, blog posts, and documentation using a simple HTML snippet.
• Lightweight: The recordings are typically very small in file size compared to video recordings.
• Searchable: Because the recording is text-based, you can search for specific commands or output within the recording.
• Free and Open Source: The client-side recorder is free and open source. You can self-host the server/player components if you wish.
• Customizable: You can customize aspects of the player appearance and behavior.
• Simple to Use: The recording process is straightforward using the asciinema rec command.

Revenue Model

Asciinema s revenue model is based on a combination of:

• Open Collective Donations: Asciinema relies on contributions from the community through Open Collective (opencollective.com/asciinema). Users and organizations can contribute financially to support the development and maintenance of the project.
• GitHub Sponsors: Asciinema also utilizes GitHub Sponsors to receive recurring financial support from individuals and organizations who value the project.
• Potential Future Premium Features (Unconfirmed): There s potential for the introduction of optional premium features or services for organizations or individuals requiring advanced capabilities or support. These are not currently available.

In summary: Asciinema is primarily funded by donations and sponsorships. It s not a traditional SaaS with paid subscription plans.

Alternatives to Asciinema

Here s a look at some alternatives to Asciinema, categorized by their approach:

• Video-Based Terminal Recorders:
  • ScreenRec: (screenrec.com) A simple and free screen recorder that can record your terminal session.
  • OBS Studio: (obsproject.com) A powerful, open-source video recording and streaming software that can capture your terminal.
  • QuickTime Player (macOS): Built-in macOS app that can record screen activity.
  • ShareX (Windows): A free and open-source screen capture and sharing tool.

• Text-Based Terminal Session Recorders (Similar Approach to Asciinema):

  • TermRecord: (github.com/jamesog/termrecord) Another open-source terminal recording tool. Less actively maintained than Asciinema.
  • ttyrec: (ttyrec.0xcc.net) A very old, simple terminal recorder. Less feature-rich than Asciinema.
  • Shelr.tv (now defunct, but worth mentioning): A service similar to asciinema.org, but is no longer active.

• Tools Focusing on Collaboration and Live Terminal Sharing:

  • tmux + tmate: (tmux.github.io, tmate.io) Allows you to share your terminal session with others in real-time. More focused on collaboration than recording.
  • Teleport: (goteleport.com) A modern access platform that includes session recording and auditing. More geared towards security and enterprise use cases.

Choosing an Alternative:

• If you absolutely need a video recording, go with OBS Studio, ScreenRec, or a similar tool.
• If you want the text-based, lightweight approach of Asciinema, TermRecord might be worth exploring.
• If you need real-time collaboration, tmux + tmate or Teleport are good options.

Pricing

Asciinema itself is free to use for both personal and commercial purposes, as long as you re using the client and either self-hosting the server/player or using the asciinema.org service.

There are no paid subscription plans at this time. The service relies on donations and sponsorships to stay afloat.

Customer Care Details

Because Asciinema is a primarily open-source project funded by donations, the level of dedicated customer support is limited compared to commercial software products. Here s how you can seek help:

• GitHub Repository: (github.com/asciinema/asciinema) The primary place for bug reports, feature requests, and contributing to the project. Check the issues list for existing problems and solutions.
• Community Forum (Discussions): Check the Github discussions sections for user discussions and questions.
• Open Collective: (opencollective.com/asciinema) While not direct customer support, contacting them through Open Collective might be a way to inquire about sponsorships or potential support options.
• Documentation: (asciinema.org/docs/) The official documentation is your first stop for learning how to use Asciinema.
• No Dedicated Support Team: It s important to understand that there isn t a formal customer support team. You re relying on the community and the project maintainers for assistance.
• Stack Overflow: Check Stack Overflow for questions related to Asciinema, and ask your own questions if needed. Use the asciinema tag.

Key Takeaways Regarding Customer Care:

• Support is primarily community-driven and relies on volunteer efforts.
• Expect slower response times compared to commercial software.
• Be clear and concise when reporting issues or asking questions.
• Provide relevant information (e.g., operating system, Asciinema version, error messages).
• Check the documentation and existing issues before posting a new question.

In summary, Asciinema is a valuable and free tool for recording and sharing terminal sessions. While it doesn t offer traditional customer support, the active community and comprehensive documentation provide a good foundation for users to find solutions and contribute to the project s development. Remember that funding the project via OpenCollective or GitHub Sponsors is the best way to ensure its continued existence and improvements.